With just a hint of Fall left on the oaks along the Clearfork River, a coal drag heads south along the gorge thru the Cumberland Mountains.

A loaded coal train passes the old coaling tower at Chaska and the helper, both partially obscured by exhaust on this cold morning. The power will grind to a halt in several hundred yards, requiri... (more)

132 lb. rail, manufactured in 1948 at a long closed Tennessee steel mill, while the opposite rail was made in 1953. The photographer is standing on new heavier rail on the coal hauling KD main, ma... (more)

With the rear coal hoppers still coming out of the Cumberland Mountains at Big Creek Gap, the front power passes the old Lafollette station, now used for track and MOW crews.

Having just crossed over the sandstone abutments of Hickory Creek bridge, coal drag U466 heads south thru the Cumberland Mountains on a stinging cold day.

Up close study of a common rail weld. Even with ribbon rail, eventually a weld must be made and then ground smooth.

Going back for more. A CSX mty train returns north for more of those black diamonds. Odd as to how the inside of the hoppers stay so shiny and clean, compared to the outisde.

In a plethora of Fall color and sandstone bluffs, a faded Dash 9 comes to a stop just shy of the Holton block. A loaded coal drag has stalled on the mountain at Chaska and must clear up before sou... (more)

In an unusual location on the KD Sub, a loaded coal drag heads south and passes the NS Clearfork Branch which immediately goes into a tunnel under the photographer. NS has trackage rights from jus... (more)

Half the power loads the first cut of a unit train while the other half idles to the right on the storage track. The unit train will be taken in halves to John Sevier Yard to be reassembled due to... (more)

A southbound coal drag, down to less than ten miles per hour, makes its way up the grade. The helper on the end has just cleared Oaks and gone to single track. Hope the crew enjoyed the colors on ... (more)

Emerging from Hickory Creek #1 tunnel into a sea of Fall foliage, this mixed freight begins it's assault over a tough grade below Jellico. The colors are still clinging to the sandstone bluffs alo... (more)

Typical of the tight terrain in Appalachian RR'ing, a faded CSX coal drag emerges from one of many rock cuts it must traverse below Jellico. Slide fences protect the crews from rocks across the tr... (more)

Hill helper returns light after shoving a grain train over Duff Mountain. Fall is about gone on the hills above Hogcamp Branch.

Grain train G930 heads south over Hogcamp Branch with a helper on the end. The helper will get stuck at North Kilsyth after cutting off, allowing four northbounds to pass. What a day.